


Middle of Nowhere

by fallenangel218



Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-25
Updated: 2014-11-24
Packaged: 2018-02-06 03:06:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1841971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallenangel218/pseuds/fallenangel218
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to <em>Seasons in the Sun</em>. Tony and Tim embark on a 5-hour road trip to Virginia Beach, to take Tim's mind off of his father's passing. Their plans take a disastrous turn when Tony's car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, and Tim goes off by himself in a rage. Written for the NFA "Road Narrative" Challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Okay, do we have everything?" Tony asked, staring at his open trunk. Along with his and Tim's bags, Tony had decided to pack a bunch of stuff that he deemed necessary for the trip. Tim still wasn't sure why they needed the snorkeling equipment or the large, obtrusive beach chairs Tony had squeezed in. 

"I'm good, Tony. All that crap is yours." 

"Let's get going! Virginia Beach, here we come!" 

Tim put the bag of snacks, and his laptop bag, in the backseat, and climbed into the front seat. Tony put it in gear, and they were off. 

\------------ 

_two hours later..._

"Sixty-five bottles of beer on the wall, sixty-five bottles of beer!" Tony belted out loudly as they drove through the Virginia countryside. "Take one down, pass it around--" 

_Thwack!_

"You did not just head slap me, Probie," Tony said, glaring at his friend in the passenger seat. 

"You've been singing that song for two hours. Please, stop before I go insane." 

"Oh come on! You never sang car songs when you were a kid?" 

"The Admiral hated it. Our trips were always quiet." 

"You were deprived of any road trip fun, Probalicious. We have to make the most of the five-hour trip!" 

"Not if it involves you singing." 

"Fine. I'll just turn on the radio instead." 

Tony flipped on the radio, but all he got was static. He tried to tune it, but nothing seemed to come in. 

"Is the radio broken or something?" 

Tim tried it, and got the same result. 

"Where the hell did you get this car, anyway?" 

"I got it used, from a buddy of mine. I figured the way I've been losing cars lately, it'd be a shame to buy a brand new one." 

"So now what... we have to sit here in silence? This is just great." 

"Sixty-four bottles of beer on the wall, sixty four bottles of beer! Take one down, pass it around, sixty-four bottles of beer on the wall!" 

"Great..." Tim said, leaning his head on the window. All of a sudden, the car backfired, and started sputtering. "What the hell is happening, Tony!" he yelled over the car's noise. 

"I don't know! She was running fine this morning!" 

The car sputtered and backfired again, and came to a stop. They got out of the car together, and Tim surveyed the area. There was nothing but cornfields, that seemed to stretch for miles. 

"Nice job, Tony... get us stuck in the middle of fucking nowhere." 

"Hey, back off, Probie... this is not my fault," Tony said as he popped the hood. As soon as he opened it, steam rose up from the radiator. "Just fucking great. My buddy said he just replaced the radiator in this thing!" 

"Apparently not. He sold you a piece of junk." 

"Get me some of that water from the backseat, Probie. We need to put it in here before this thing overheats." 

"Water isn't going to help. You need coolant." 

"I don't have any in the trunk, McProbious. Get the water." 

"I'm not putting our only drinking water into your radiator!" 

"Unless you want to use up all of your vacation time sitting in a cornfield, get me the damn water!" 

Tim stalked to passenger's back door, and pulled it open. There was a cooler with several bottles of water he'd packed for the trip. He grabbed three of them and brought them to Tony. 

"Stand back." 

Tony opened up the cap to the coolant tank, and emptied the waters into it. 

"Try starting her up." 

Tim jogged over and reached into the driver's side window. He turned the key, but the car did not start. 

"Nice job, Tony. It's broken." 

"It's got to be something else." 

"I'm calling for help." 

Tim pulled out his phone, and was dismayed to find that he had no service. 

"This is just great! No signal!" he angrily rounded on Tony. "This is all your fault! You talked me into this stupid road trip, and you insisted on taking your piece-of-crap car, and then it breaks down in the middle of the country, where we get no cell reception to call for help!" 

Tony straightened, and met Tim nose to nose. 

"Excuse me for trying to be a good friend, and take your mind off things! I had no idea the car was going to shit the bed like this!" 

"Tony, your friend sold you a piece of junk, and you bought it! You knew it was an old car when you bought it, and you know as well as I do that old cars have lots of issues. Why would you think it'd be a good road trip car?" 

"I'm sick of your yelling and your attitude, McGee. I'm going to fix my car, and I'm taking your ass back to DC! This trip isn't worth it." 

"I'm not standing around here while you perform an impossible task. I'm out of here." 

Tim went around to the trunk and took out his duffel. Without a word, he slammed the trunk and started walking. 

Tony did not follow him. 

**TBC...**


	2. Chapter 2

"How much corn can a person grow?" Tim asked himself as he came to another crossroads. He'd been walking for almost an hour, by his watch, and all he'd seen was corn, and nothing else. "Where in the hell am I?" 

He paused for a moment and set down his bag. He removed the long-sleeved button down shirt he'd stupidly worn that day, and tied it around his waist. The sun was beating down on him, and he had forgotten to snag a water when he left Tony. 

_I wonder if he ever fixed the car._

Tim picked up his bag and contemplated which road to take. After a moment, he decided to make a right, and started down the road. Hopefully he'd come across something--or someone--that could lead him to civilization. 

\-------------- 

"Damn it all!" Tony shouted, throwing his wrench on the ground. He'd been working on the car for over an hour, and hadn't gotten anywhere. He was stuck in the middle of nowhere, and to make it worse, McGee had taken off on his own, and was God knows where. 

_Stupid bastard... he's going to get lost in this mess of corn._

Tony took out his phone, desperate for a signal. He was dismayed to find he had no service. 

"Great. Just fucking awesome." 

Tony slammed the hood shut and went around to get his bag from the backseat. He put a bottle of water in it before he locked his car and started walking. He had to find a place to call for help, or neither of them were going to make it home. 

\-------------- 

The sun was getting hotter, and Tim was getting weaker from his lack of fluids. He'd been walking for about twenty minutes since the last intersection, and he hadn't seen anyone yet. 

After a few more minutes, Tim could walk no more, and he fell to his knees in the dirt road, dropping his bag on the ground next to him. If he could just sit for a few minutes, he'd be fine, and could continue on his way. 

^^^^^ 

The farmer had been working his land all morning. He'd finally come to his back 40, and he was getting close to the road. He needed to cross over to get to his other cornfield. He chugged along, and finally broke through his field to cross the road. As his tires moved into the dirt road, he caught something out of the corner of his eye, and slammed on the brakes. 

There was a man lying in the road. 

He turned off the tractor and climbed down, bringing his bottle of water with him. He kneeled next to the man in the road, and checked the man's vitals. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a steady pulse. 

"Hey, can you hear me?" He said loudly, shaking the man's shoulder. The man groaned, but didn't rouse. "Are you all right?" He shook the man's shoulder again. This time, the man opened his eyes, and sat up. 

"What happened?" the man said, in a raspy voice. The farmer knew he was dehydrated. 

"You're in the road," the farmer said. "I could have killed you with the combine attached to my tractor here, had I not seen ya." 

The man eyed the water in the farmer's hand, and the farmer handed it to him readily. 

"You can have it all, son. You look terrible. Why were you lying down in the road?" 

The man drank for almost a full minute, then cleared his throat. 

"Car broke down... I was trying to find help," the man said, his voice sounding more normal than it did a moment ago. 

"What's your name?" 

"Tim McGee." 

"I'm John Maxwell," the farmer said, holding out a hand. Tim shook it. 

"You're the first person I've seen in an hour and a half." 

"You've been walking that long? Are you crazy? It's 95 degrees out!" 

"You don't happen to have a phone, do you?" 

"Not with me, but you can use the one back at the house. I gotta finish up in this here field, but it shouldn't take too long." John turned and started back toward his combine. "Hop on, and hold on tight." 

"Thank you very much, Mr. Maxwell," Tim said as he climbed into the tractor with him. 

"Call me John, will ya? I hate being called Mr. Maxwell." 

"Okay, John." 

The tractor roared to life, and they were gone. 

\--------------- 

Tony walked for 30 minutes. He saw nothing but corn. 

We really are stuck in the middle of nowhere, aren't we? Why didn't we take Probie's car? 

Tony wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. 

_Damn, it's fucking hot today!_

He stopped and shed his t-shirt, leaving him in only his shorts and undershirt. He shoved his t-shirt into his bag, and pulled out a bottle of water. He took a long drink, and shoved it into his bag. He had to save as much water as possible. If he ran out in this heat before he found a place to call for help, he'd be in trouble. 

His thoughts immediately went to Tim, and remembered that his friend hadn't taken any water with him. 

_He's going to die out here with no water. I have to find him._

The thought of losing Tim forever propelled Tony onward, determined to find help. 

^^^^^^^^^ 

Tony walked until he could walk no more. He needed to find shade, and quickly. He could feel his skin burning in the hot sun. He went to the side of the road and nestled himself between a few cornstalks, taking in the shade. He just wanted to close his eyes for a moment, take in the shade. 

A loud click made his eyes snap open. The first thing he saw was the barrel of a shotgun, pointed right at his face. The next thing he saw was the angry man holding it, and his two friends, flanking ether side of him. 

_I am_ so _screwed..._

**TBC...**


	3. Chapter 3

Tony kept his eyes on the man with the shotgun pointed at his face. 

_Damn it, why did I leave my gun in the car?_

"How ya doin?" Tony asked with a nervous chuckle. 

"You're on our property," The man said flatly. "You have ten seconds to tell me why." 

"Okay okay, let's all relax. My car broke down and I was trying to find help. I wanted to get out of the heat, so I stopped to rest. I can just move on now--" 

"You're not moving anywhere." 

"I don't understand... I was just resting. I'll go and never come back, I promise." 

"Grab him, Jimmy." 

"What--hey!" Tony squeaked as "Jimmy" pulled him to his feet and wrenched an arm behind his back. "Ow! What the hell! I wasn't even doing anything!" 

"We don't like trespassers on our land. My brothers and I are going to show you what happens to folks who put their footprints in our soil." 

Tony felt himself being yanked through the cornfield. 

I'm about to experience _Deliverance_ for myself... I am so screwed. 

^^^^^^^ 

"That's right, Boss. We're somewhere in Virginia. No, I don’t have my computer. It's in the car. My phone has no signal out here-- Tony? Um, that's the other thing I had to tell you... we kinda got into a fight and I walked away. Boss! Stop shouting for minute-- okay, okay. Can you have Abby--right. I'll find him. Yes, I promise. Okay, okay, bye--" 

Tim sighed and hung up the phone. 

"Your Boss sounds like a bastard," John observed from his seat at the kitchen table. Tim joined him. 

"He can be, but he means well. I've got a friend who can hopefully track my cell phone and find me." 

"You could have given him my address." 

"Believe me, I thought of that... Gibbs would get lost on these roads just trying to find us." 

"That's your Boss' name?" 

"Yeah." 

"Well, you're welcome to stay here as long as you like. Heidi and I have plenty of space." 

"That's very kind of you, John. I accept." 

"We can set up a bedroom for you after dinner. Right now, there's work to be done outside." 

"Can I help?" 

"You know about farm work, kid?" 

"I stayed with my Aunt one summer, and she put me to work. It was my father's idea. He said it'd build character." 

"Well all right then. Come on outside with me. We'll start with milking the cows." 

\--------------- 

After being practically dragged through a cornfield, Tony and the three brothers came to a dilapidated old house. 

"I really am in Deliverance, aren't I?" Tony whined. 

The tallest of the brothers punched him in the gut. 

"Shut your hole." 

The man with the gun turned around. 

"Take him to the barn." 

Jimmy and his Redwood of a brother dragged Tony over to a large barn that had clearly seen better days. Redwood pulled the door open and Jimmy brought Tony inside. Redwood came in behind them and shut the door. They dragged him into one of the empty horse stalls, and handcuffed him to a post. 

"What the hell is this?" Tony demanded, fighting Jimmy's grip. 

"Your new home. Get used to it, pretty boy." 

Redwood closed the stall door, sneering at Tony. 

"Let me out of here! What the hell is wrong with you people?" 

"Right, let you out... that's a good one, pretty boy. Get comfortable." Jimmy and Redwood left the barn, and Tony found himself alone. 

_How in the hell am I going to get out of this?_

 

\--------- 

John watched as Tim milked his first cow with gentle hands. Tim seemed to be in some kind of zone as he worked. There was nothing but him and the cow. Judging by that, and the way his voice cracked when he mentioned his father, John deduced that Tim had something weighing on his mind. 

John's wife, Heidi, called them in for dinner shortly after the cows had been milked. She served a plate of Chicken and mashed potatoes. Tim thanked her and ate heartily. 

Heidi served cherry pie and coffee for dessert. Tim relaxed as he sipped the warm beverage. 

"So Tim," Heidi said, sitting down at the table with a cup of tea. "Tell us about your trip. Where are you headed?" 

"My friend and I were on our way to Virginia Beach. It was his idea. I knew we should have taken my car, be he insisted on taking his." 

"That's when you broke down, right?" 

"Yep. He's probably still out there trying to fix it." 

"He'd better watch himself. The Cobb boys have property south of here. Not many folks that wander their way tend to come back without a few bruises." 

"What? Why didn't you say something earlier? I have to find him." 

Tim stood and brought his plate to the kitchen sink. John got up and followed him. 

"It's nearly dark... I'm not letting you go out there alone. If the Cobbs find you, that Gibbs fellow will be looking for your body, rather than your cell phone." 

Tim rifled through his bag by the door, and came out with his cell phone. 

"I thought you said that thing didn't get a signal." 

"It doesn't, but it won't hurt to bring it, just in case." 

Tim pocketed the phone and turned to John, 

"Let's go." 

**TBC...**


	4. Chapter 4

The sky was half dark as Tim and John drove through the winding country roads. Tim was quiet as the truck moved through what Tim could see really was miles of cornfields. He couldn't stop thinking about how stupid the fight with Tony had been, and how incredibly stupid it was for him to go off on his own in the middle of nowhere. Tony would not die out here because of him - he wouldn’t allow it. 

John usually enjoyed a quiet drive. There was no traffic out here to contend with, like in the city, and the only noise he had to deal with at night were crickets and frogs. This quiet drive, however, was disconcerting. His young companion obviously had something weighing on his mind, other than finding his friend. 

"What's bothering you, Tim?" he asked, more abruptly than he had intended. 

"I'm worried about my friend," Tim said. It was a half-truth, and John saw right through it. 

"There's something else on your mind." 

Tim let his eyes flutter closed, and he averted his gaze to his lap. 

"My Father died from cancer a couple of weeks ago." 

"I’m sorry for your loss, Tim." 

"Thanks." 

"Can I ask why you're taking a road trip?" 

"Tony, my friend, thought it would get my mind off things for a while. He said I needed a vacation." 

"Sounds like he had good intentions." 

"Yeah, that's what makes this whole situation worse than it is. He was trying to help, and all I did was yell at him because his car broke down, then left him in the middle of nowhere in a place where he can't call for help. I'm a terrible person." 

John pulled the truck over and turned it off. 

"It isn't just leaving your friend alone that's got you beating yourself up, is it?" 

Tim sighed and shook his head. 

"Can I tell you a story?" 

"Sure." 

"I was at odds with my father growing up. We never saw eye to eye about anything. He was a hard man to live with. After high school, I moved out of his house, and we didn't speak for twenty years. After he died, I regretted it all." 

"Why are you telling me this?" Tim asked. 

"I have a feeling your Father was a hard man, too." 

Tim nodded. 

"We didn't talk much. He wanted me to be in the Navy, follow in his footsteps. I didn't want that. We've been fighting about it since I was sixteen. We tried to make amends when I heard about his diagnosis, but he was still a stubborn bastard." 

"What do you think your Dad would tell you right now, were he sittin' here in this truck?" 

"He'd probably tell me I was being an idiot, and that it was stupid to let a friend go off on his own. He'd probably lay it into me." 

"And what do you think I'm going to tell you right now?" 

"Excuse me?" 

"You were a fool to wander off on your own in this kind of heat, and you were a fool to leave your friend alone. It sounds like your friend was trying to help you cope on this road trip." 

"You have no right to say anything to me! You don't even know me!" 

"You're right, I don't know you one way from another, young man, but I do know that I could have left you on that road to die of heat stroke, but I stopped and gave you water, invited you to stay at my home. I'm also helping you find your friend, who's probably chained up in the Cobbs' barn by now. If you're going to be ungrateful, you can get out of my truck right now, and try to find your friend by yourself." 

Tim looked down at his lap again.He was being a huge jerk. This man saved him from death in the hot sun. If not for John, Gibbs would be peeling his dead body from a dirt road, rather than coming to find him and the broken down car. 

"I'm sorry," he finally said. "I'm being an ass. You could have left me to die in the dirt, but you didn't. I'm sorry for disrespecting you." 

"Apology accepted. Let's find your friend, shall we?" 

Tim nodded, and John started the truck again. They were back on the road, and one step closer to finding Tony. 

\----------- 

After an hour of driving, John was getting tired, and wanted to give up. As they turned another corner to head back toward the farm, Tim spotted something in the distance. Something big. 

"There! There's our car!" he said excitedly. John pulled up next to it and Tim jumped out. John followed him. 

Tony was nowhere to be seen. 

"Damn it, he must have started walking to find help. There's no telling where he is now... with the miles of cornfields, he could have easily gotten lost." 

"If I'm right, and he walked the opposite way you did, he probably wandered onto the Cobbs' property." 

"We have to find him. I won't have his death on my conscience." 

"It's nearly dark. It'll take twice as long to find him out here at night." 

"I don’t care," Tim said, and stopped to face John. "I'm not going to leave him alone out here. He wouldn't even be alone if I hadn't taken off. I'm finding him." 

John nodded. 

"Well, get what you need from your car and hop in the truck. We'll find him." 

Tim excitedly ran for the car to gather some supplies. It was going to be a long night. 

**TBC...**


	5. Chapter 5

Tony pulled at his restraints with all of his strength. He was hoping that the old bars on the horse stall were rotted enough for him to break. He had to escape before one of them came back and did God knows what to him. He wasn't sure how long he'd been there, only that it had to be several hours. The sunlight that had been seeping through the cracks in the side of the barn had faded into darkness. 

_Where the hell is McGee? Did they find him? Is he dead in a cornfield? I have to get out of here and find him._

After a while, his efforts were rewarded by a loud crack, and the rusted bar he was handcuffed to snapped in half. He crawled over to the door and pulled himself up. There was no one in the barn, and he could not hear anyone approaching outside. He tried to push the door open, and to his relief it moved outward. He moved quietly across the barn and peeked through a small window next to the door. He saw a light on in the house across the small yard. 

_They're probably going to see me if I open this door._

Tony looked around for an alternate exit, and saw one toward the back of the barn. He went to it and slipped outside. There was about three feet of grass, that ended at more cornfields. 

_Like I expected to see anything else... doesn't anyone grow stuff_ other _than corn around here?_

Tony ran into the cornfield without looking back. 

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

John stopped the truck at the edge of the Cobbs' property and turned off the ignition. 

"What's the matter?" Tim asked. 

"I can't go any further." 

"Why not?" 

"It's a private road. If we cross this intersection, it's trespassing." 

"Tony could be on that property somewhere. I'm not going to stop until I find him." Tim picked up his bag from the floor and rifled through it until he found his SIG. He saw John's eyes go wide as he checked it for ammo. 

"Who are you, really? And why do you have that gun?" 

"It's all right, John. I'm a Federal Agent, and so is Tony." He showed John his credentials. "I'm going out there and I'm going to find him." 

"It's dark... you'll get yourself killed!" 

Tim opened the door of the truck and got out. He slung the pack over his shoulder. A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he pulled out his cell from his pocket, and handed it to John. 

"Take this. A friend of mine back home is tracking the signal. If my Boss finds you before I get back, tell him what's going on. He'll be able to find us." 

"Tim, are you sure you want to do this? You don't know what you're up against." 

"I'll be fine. Thank you for everything, John." 

"You're welcome, son. Be careful out there, will you?" 

"I promise." 

Tim closed the door and slipped into the cover of the cornfield. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

The cornstalks whipped across Tony's face and arms as he ran through the cornfield. He wasn't sure where the hell he was, or where he was going to end up. He could come out right back where he started, if he wasn't careful. 

Suddenly, he heard shouting, and a couple of gunshots rang through the air. 

_Shit... they're coming._

Tony ran as fast as he could away from the gunshots. If they caught him, he sure as hell wouldn't be going back to that barn. 

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Tim heard the gunshots as he walked down a row of corn. They sounded like they were coming from a western direction. 

_Tony has to be running away from the shots._

Tim ran straight ahead, hoping he'd bump into him. Together, they could escape the Cobb brothers and get back to John's truck before anyone got hurt. 

A sound to his left stopped Tim in his tracks. he pointed his gun straight ahead and moved carefully. Whatever it was sounded big, and he wanted to be ready. 

The rustling sound got louder, and before he knew what was happening, he felt himself being tackled to the ground. His gun slid into the corn, out of sight. He felt his arms being yanked behind his back, and a knee pressing down on his spine. 

"What do we have here?" 

Tim tried to get loose, but the man's grip on him was solid. He saw another set of feet coming toward him. 

"Who are you?" 

"My name is Thom," Tim said quickly. 

"What are you doing in our cornfield, Thom?" 

Tim didn't respond. He felt the knee dig deeper into his spine. 

"He asked you a question, asshole. Answer him or I'll break your spine." 

Tim didn't say anything. He didn't want to tell them he was looking for Tony, and put his friend at risk. 

"He'll talk when we get him to the barn," said the man on top of Tim. 

"There's no time for that, Jake. Shoot him in the head, and help me find the other one." 

Tim felt a renewed strength, and brought his leg up to hit Jake, who lost his grip momentarily. It was long enough for Tim to shove him off and roll toward his gun. he snatched it and pointed it at Jake's face. Jake was pointing a weapon back at him. 

"Drop it, asshole," Jake said. "You'll be dead before you get a shot off." 

Tim didn't hesitate to pull the trigger, and Jake Cobb dropped to the ground. 

Breathing heavily, Tim scrambled to his feet and started running as fast as his legs could take him. 

_Tony, where in the hell are you?_

**TBC...**


	6. Chapter 6

Tim ran through the cornfield as fast as his legs could carry him. He knew there were others out here, and now they'd be after him for killing Jake Cobb. He pushed his way through thick corn stalks, trying to find a different path. As he pushed his way through another row, he heard a noise. 

_Shit, they found me._

He stilled and readied his weapon. He looked down, and saw a set of feet moving toward his position. 

_It's now or never._

"Freeze!" he shouted, jumping out in front of the assailant. He nearly dropped his gun when he saw who was standing in front of him. 

"Tony! Are you all right?" 

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you, Probie," 

Tim sheathed his weapon in the back of his jeans and started to attempt to pick the lock on Tony's handcuffs.

"What did they do to you?" 

"I think I was about to live out _Deliverance_ for myself." 

Suddenly, they heard movement in the corn not far away. 

"It's them." 

"I know. Let's get out of here," Tim said, yanking Tony by the chain of his handcuffs. They moved off into the corn, away from the noise. 

"How do you know about these guys?" 

"I shot one of them looking for you, and they're going to kill me if they find me, so can we please keep moving?" 

"No one is moving anywhere." 

Tim pulled his gun and whipped around. There were four men coming out of the corn, guns trained on them. Tony only recognized two of them. 

They must have called in reinforcements. 

"Drop the gun, kid. You're outnumbered." 

Tim exchanged glances with Tony, and slowly put his gun on the ground. Before he set it down, he whipped it at the nearest guy, and tackled him. Tony jumped on another of their assailants. 

Tim locked one of the men in a wrestling move, and forced his gun out of his hands. The man quickly overpowered him, and in seconds, they were pointing guns at each other. 

"Drop it or your friend will be fertilizing my fields." 

Tim did so immediately, and one of the men grabbed him by the arms. The other had Tony by the cuffs, with a gun to his head. The fourth man rounded on Tim. 

"Who are you?" 

Tim remained silent. The man searched his pockets, and came out with Tim's badge and creds. 

"Look at this, guys, we have a Fed!" He put his gun under Tim's chin, and forced Tim to look him in the eye. "I should kill you right now and leave your body to the crows for killing my brother." 

"What's stopping you?" Tim spat out. 

"I want you to suffer... you and your friend. Nobody crosses the Cobbs and gets away with it." He pulled his gun away from Tim's chin, and pistol whipped him across the face with it. He looked over at one of the men holding Tony. 

"Lock them in the barn, Jimmy, and use the good stall this time, dumbass." 

"Got it, J.P." 

**NCISNCISNCISNCIS**

John shifted nervously in the driver's seat of his truck. It was nearly midnight, and Tim hadn't returned yet. He knew he'd be no match for the Cobb boys if he went onto their property alone to find Tim. He sighed and looked down at the phone in his hands. He wished it worked, so he could at least call the Sheriff.

Headlights shone in his back window, and John stilled in his seat. 

_What if it's J.P. Cobb? I'm going to die._

The headlights remained on as someone got out of the car and approached the truck. Suddenly, there was a gun being pointed at his face by a silver-haired man wearing an NCIS jacket. 

_I'll be damned... Tim's friend really_ did _track him using that cell phone._

"Are you Gibbs?" 

"Are you the farmer that found him?" Gibbs countered suspiciously. 

"John Maxwell's the name. That phone doo-hickey really does have a tracker in it, huh?" 

"Yep. Where are my Agents?" Gibbs asked, sheathing his weapon. 

"Somewhere out there," John said, pointing to the vast cornfields. "Tim went out there two hours ago, looking for his friend. I haven't seen him since." 

"Do you know your way through that maze?" Gibbs asked. 

"I can get you to the Cobbs' property. Those heathens probably have your boys locked in their barn." 

"You're awfully specific with your answers, John," Gibbs pointed out suspiciously. 

"I've known JP, Jack and Jimmy since they were kids. They used to chase my daughter and her friends through the cornfields all the time. I know exactly which way to go to find their property. Lord knows I've dragged them there by there ears plenty of times." 

Gibbs grinned. 

_I think I like this guy!_

Gibbs reached into his ankle holster and pulled out his spare gun. 

"Here, you can use this." 

John reached into his glove compartment and pulled out a .45 pistol. Gibbs watched as he expertly checked it for ammo. 

"I've got my own." 

Gibbs grinned again and put away the spare weapon. 

"Let's go." 

**TBC...**


	7. Chapter 7

"Why in the hell did you have your creds on you?" Tony said angrily as he tried to break through his bonds. They'd been back in the barn for about a half hour, and Tony was trying desperately to break free.

"I always carry them on me. You never know when we might need them." 

"This time it's going to get you killed by a psycho hillbilly redneck," Tony said, pulling on his restraints. It was to no avail. Jimmy Cobb had found something stronger to handcuff him to. "Damn it, I can't break it. That moron finally did something right," Tony said, falling back to his knees. "Any bright ideas, Probie?" 

"I'm thinking." 

"Think faster. Those assholes are going to come out here and shoot us." 

"We wouldn't be in this mess if the damn car hadn't broken down," Tim retorted, attempting to pull at his own restraints. 

"You're _still_ going on about the goddamned car? You have to let that go, McGee. That's the least of our problems right now." 

"How did you even find these lunatics?" Tim asked. 

"I stopped to rest because it was so damned hot, and apparently I was sitting in their cornfield, and that isn't acceptable." 

"They were going to kill you for resting in their cornfield?" 

"Sick, isn't it?" 

"I'll say. These guys are crazy." 

"At least we agree on something for once on this trip." 

Tim looked at Tony, smiling pathetically, and sighed. 

"I’m sorry, Tony. This whole thing is actually my fault. If I hadn't walked away from the car, you wouldn't have had to go alone to look for help." 

"It was a stupid fight, wasn't it?" 

Tim chuckled. 

"Yeah, it was." 

The sound of a barn door creaking open silence them. They heard footsteps in the hay-covered floor, approaching the horse stall they were being held in. Tim held his breath as the beam of a flashlight scanned the horse stall. 

"McGee? DiNozzo?" 

"Boss! You found us!" Tony said excitedly. 

"Shut up before they hear you, DiNozzo." 

Gibbs unlocked the cuffs on Tony's wrists, while John freed Tim. 

"I thought you weren't going to come onto this property," Tim said with a small smile. 

"Did you think I was going to leave your ass here?" John said. "Never leave a man behind, Tim." 

The phrase got Gibbs' attention. 

"Were you a Marine, John?" 

"Retired Corporal. You?" 

"Gunny." 

"Can we please exchange war stories later and get out of here?" Tony whispered. 

"Come on," Gibbs said. They turned just in time to hear the barn door open.

"Not so fast, gentleman." 

J.P. Cobb and five other men held guns on them. 

"You sure you want to do this, Cobb?" Gibbs said, raising his own weapon. 

"More than anything." 

"You may want to rethink that." 

"And who's going to stop me? You, or that old man?" 

"I'm done with you and your brothers terrorizing everyone, JP," John said authoritatively. "Your Daddy raised you boys better than this." 

"My Daddy didn't hesitate to beat the shit out of me and Jake every time we stepped a toe out of line. We counted our blessings when he drank himself to death. Don't you stand there and tell me how much of a father he was! You don't know my family at all!" 

"JP," Gibbs chimed in, taking a step forward. "You and your brother won't do a lot of time for the kidnapping. You don't want to add murder to your rap sheet, do you?" 

J.P. started to shake. His hand felt sweaty, and his knees weak. 

"Tell your friends to lower their weapons," Gibbs said. "Let's talk this over like men. No one has to die tonight, okay?" 

"No! No one gets out of here unless I say!" 

"JP, he's right," came Jimmy Cobb's voice from next to his brother. "We don't need to do this." 

"That fed killed Jake! He needs to suffer!" 

"Jake would still be alive if you hadn't taken his friend hostage! I told you he was harmless, but you didn't listen! Daddy always said you didn't listen good!" 

JP turned on his brother, and pistol whipped him. 

"Don't you dare bring him into this," he said, looming over his brother. "You're the only one he never hit. He loved you, and he hated me and Jack! You always got away with everything, you little shit!" 

"JP! Stop!" Gibbs yelled, but he was too late. The shot reverberated throughout the large barn. The barn was silent as JP Cobb dropped to his knees by his brother's lifeless body. 

"I'm so sorry," he said, sobs forming. "Jimmy I'm so sorry!" JP pulled his brother close to him and cried into his shirt. 

Gibbs looked at JP's friends. 

"I suggest you all drop your weapons. Anyone still holding one by the time the Sheriff gets here will be charged as an accessory." 

Everyone set down their guns as sirens blared outside the barn. John went to the door to let in the Sheriff and his backup. Tony and Tim stepped forward, and stood next to Gibbs. 

"What in the hell just happened here?" Tony asked. 

"He was emotionally unstable. He probably would have shot anyone that stood up to him." 

"How did you know what to say to him, Boss?" Tim asked. 

"John and I talked on the way in. He used to work with their father. He knew about what was going on in the Cobb house, and like a lot of others, kept his mouth shut. Apparently, this family has been terrorizing a lot of people for a long time." 

The Sheriff and his men seemed to have everyone in custody at this point. 

"Let's get out of here." 

"What about my car?" 

"Already being towed back to DC. We have a long drive ahead of us to discuss just what the hell happened between you two to get yourselves into a mess like this." 

Gibbs stalked out of the barn to talk to the Sheriff. Tim and Tony exchanged looks. It really would be a long drive home. 

**NCISNCISNCISNCIS**

John's truck and Gibbs' sedan were still parked at the edge of the Cobb property. While Tony and Gibbs got into the sedan, Tim hung back to retrieve his things from John's truck. 

"Thank you for everything, John. I'm glad we met." 

John shook hands with his young friend. 

"I'd do it all again, Tim. You take care of yourself." 

"You too. You'd better get home before Heidi calls the Sheriff looking for you," Tim said with a chuckle. 

"Right you are, Tim." 

"See you around, John.:" 

"Travel safe, kid." 

Tim smiled and got into the sedan with his friends. They watched John turn his truck around and drive off, and Gibbs did the same. He followed John to the main road, and turned the opposite way, heading back toward the interstate. 

Gibbs didn't say anything for the first hour. They got off the interstate in DC as the sun began to rise over the city. Gibbs drove to his favorite morning spot, and parked the car. 

"Boss - " Tim started, but Gibbs ignored him and got out of the car. Perplexed, the boys got out and followed him inside. Gibbs had gotten a booth, and there were two menus waiting on the table. The small diner was empty, except for a man sitting at the counter, drinking coffee. 

Tony slid into the booth opposite Gibbs, and Tim sat next to him. Gibbs sipped his coffee, and looked at his Agents. 

"Who wants to tell me what happened out there?" 

They exchanged looks. 

"Sometime today, please," Gibbs said, getting annoyed. 

"It's all my fault, Boss," Tim blurted out. "When the car broke down, I got angry, and I lashed out at Tony. I should have never went off on my own." 

"I'm disappointed in you, McGee. You had no idea where you were, and from what Mr. Maxwell told me, you were passed out in the road when he found you. You could have died if he hadn't seen you there, do you realize that?" 

"Yes, Boss." 

"The next time you two take a trip together, and something happens to the car, _always_ stay together. Am I clear?" 

"Yes, Boss," they chorused together. 

"Good. Let's get breakfast, and I'll take you home." 

"Boss, my car--" 

"Is at my friend's shop. You're going to get rid of that piece of crap and get a decent car, and you owe me $200 for towing that thing all the way back to DC." 

"Yes, Boss." 

The waitress came and took their breakfast orders, and they ate silently. Gibbs paid for the meal, and dropped Tony off first. Gibbs gave him the day off, to rest, and Tony thanked him and bade them goodbye. 

The drive to Tim's apartment was quiet. Gibbs could tell something was still bothering his youngest Agent, and like himself, Tim wasn't much for talking about what was bothering him. That wouldn't stop Gibbs from asking him, though. 

When they arrived at Tim's apartment, Gibbs stopped the car and killed the engine. 

"You've been quiet," he said gently. 

"This trip was a bad idea from the start. I don't even know why I let Tony talk me into it." 

"He was trying to help." 

"We nearly got ourselves killed for it." 

Tim put his hand on the door handle and started to open the door. Gibbs put a hand on his arm. 

"Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow at the office." 

"Thanks, Boss. For everything." 

"Never leave a man behind, McGee." 

Tim felt the phrase hit him like a ton of bricks. That was exactly what he'd done to Tony out in that cornfield. Gibbs had taught them never to leave each other behind, and he'd gone and blown that to hell. 

"I--" 

Gibbs remained silent, waiting for Tim to finish. 

"I have to go." 

Tim quickly got out of the car and went inside. He didn't know Gibbs was following him until he fumbled with keys trying to unlock his door. He startled when Gibbs reached out and took his keys from his shaking hands. 

"What are you doing--" 

"Just get inside, McGee." 

Tim stepped into his apartment, and Gibbs shut the door behind them. Tim dropped his bags next to the door, and stood there, unsure of what to do next. There were a ton of emotions running through his body at the moment, and it was overwhelming him. Gibbs suddenly appeared in his line of sight. 

"Do you want to sit down?" 

Gibbs tried to take his Agent by the arm, but Tim shrugged him off violently. 

"What are you feeling right now?" Gibbs asked him. 

"I don't-- I just want to be alone." 

"Not yet. I want to know where your head is at." 

"Get out!" Tim yelled angrily, shoving Gibbs backward. Gibbs stumbled back a few steps, but was otherwise unfazed. 

"You're angry." It was a statement, rather than a question. 

"Ya think?" Tim replied dryly. 

"Let it out, Tim." 

"What?" 

"Let your anger out on me." 

"You're not the one I’m mad at, Boss. Why the hell would I let it out on you?" 

"You're less likely to kill me, that's why." 

Gibbs picked up a pillow from Tim's couch and held it up firmly. 

"Let it out." 

"This is stupid." 

"If you don't let it out, you're going to do something _really_ stupid, like you always do. Let out your anger." 

Tim stood there for a minute, not sure whether he wanted to do this. 

"I can't hit you, Boss." 

"Do it, damn it! Now!" Gibbs yelled. 

Tim felt the anger again, and took a swing. He hit the pillow, hard. Gibbs held his stance firm, to avoid falling over. Tim hit the pillow again and again, his punches getting strong with each one he threw at the pillow. 

"Damn Tony for taking me on that stupid fucking trip!" Tim shouted, punching the pillow. "Damn him for almost getting me killed!" He hit the pillow again. 

"I never wanted to go in the first place!" 

He punched the pillow harder, and a seam on the corner broke. A few feathers pushed their way out into the air. 

"He's still gone! I left and came back, and the Admiral is still dead! Tony's so-called trip did nothing!" 

He hit the pillow twice, and more feathers flew out into the air around them. 

"He never told _anyone_ he was sick... he was such a stubborn ass that he didn't even call me when he was dying!" 

Tim hit the pillow very hard - and the seam ripped completely, sending feathers all over the living room. Gibbs dropped the remains of the pillow, and watched Tim drop to his knees, shaking. Gibbs dropped down in front of him, to be at his level. 

"This isn't about Tony anymore, is it?" 

Tears streamed down Tim's face as he shook his head. 

"Why couldn't he call me to tell me he was dying? I had to find out on the other side of the glass in interrogation that he was dying!" Tim felt Gibbs put his hands gently on his shoulders. "Boss... why did he have to put me through this? Why?" 

"I don't know, Tim. I'm sorry." 

Sobs wracked Tim, and he practically fell into Gibbs shoulder, crying. They stayed on their knees, and Gibbs held his Junior Agent as he finally really cried for his Father. 

**END - Epilogue forthcoming**


	8. Epilogue

_one month later..._

 

"Where's the Probie?" Tony asked as he reclined in his desk chair. He looked at his watch for the sixth time that morning. "He's almost twenty minutes late." 

"McGee has been though much pain in the past month," Ziva said. "You need to let him have his space." 

"He's been out on bereavement leave for a month. He left DC and didn't even tell anyone where he was going." 

"He probably did not want you to bother him with another insane road trip," Ziva retorted. 

"Hey, that was _not_ my fault. Those guys were crazy before Tim and I got stranded there." 

"Don't you two have something you should be doing right now?" Gibbs asked, looking up from the file he was trying to read. 

Tony sat up in his chair and pulled up a report on his computer that he'd been meaning to finish. As he started typing, the elevator dinged. He looked up and smiled as Tim stepped off the elevator. 

"Probie! Welcome back!" 

Tony met him in the middle of the room and shook his hand. 

"How are you doing?" 

"I’m doing a lot better, thanks for asking." 

"So where'd you go?" 

"Tony!" Ziva hissed. 

"Oh come on, you know I have to ask!" 

"It's OK, Ziva." Tim set his bag down next to his desk. "I went to Chicago, to visit my Mother." 

"You have never spoken of your Mother before," Ziva said. "Did you have a nice visit?" 

"It was just what I needed. My Mother has always been there for me when I needed her." 

Ziva came around her desk and hugged him. 

"I am glad you found what you were looking for." 

"Thanks." 

"Can we all get some work done?" Gibbs interjected. 

Ziva and Tony retreated to their desks, and Tim smiled as he sat down and turned on his computer. 

"Gear up! We've got a body out in Sterling." 

Tim smiled and gathered his gear. He was ready to get back to normal. 

**END**


End file.
